At first, the sound of the bell was merely pleasant to the ear.
But as the other bells began to chime one after another, their different tones blending together and resonating within the tower’s peculiar structure, an eerie fluctuation emerged, subtly influencing Dongbo Xueying’s soul. Guided by this resonance, his soul gradually slipped into a peculiar state.
“Whoosh~~~”
Silence.
His soul had never been so tranquil before. An intangible fluctuation permeated it, maintaining this profound stillness.
“Can the soul truly be this serene?”
It was as if he had been cast into an endless void of darkness, where everything—rules, existence itself—had vanished. This darkness and silence pervaded every corner of his soul, so still that it seemed to have ceased all motion. In this moment, there was only the soul, only himself. With but a thought, he could effortlessly sense his own physical body.
His awareness of his flesh was more vivid than ever, as if an infinite continent lay before him.
“Is this how the native powerhouses use the Seven-Bell Tower to study their own bloodline?” Dongbo Xueying, however, had no need for such study. His bodily evolution was entirely the result of his comprehension and application of the laws. Unlike the native powerhouses, who carried the bloodline of the Hunyuan Lifeform within them, cultivating their bloodline granted them unimaginable power.
“Set the body aside.”
With a single thought, his extraordinarily tranquil soul effortlessly severed all connection to his physical form.
With this separation, his soul’s perception plunged into a ‘true’ boundless darkness—a void where nothing existed, not even his own body.
Yet, in this near-absolute stillness of the soul, his thoughts became unbelievably ‘active.’
“I’ve never felt so at ease before. It’s as if my soul has shed all constraints, and its latent potential has been fully unleashed.”
“Perhaps I should focus on the Void Path.”
Instantly, countless insights into the mysteries of the Void Path surfaced in his mind, rapidly unfolding and evolving. Strange new ideas emerged one after another, and his cultivation speed far surpassed his normal state. It was as though his usual soul, burdened by the influences of the supreme laws, his physical body, and countless other distractions, could never achieve such efficiency.
“This is truly marvelous.”
He marveled inwardly.
Then, with his hyperactive thoughts, he swiftly delved into the study of the Void Path.
The five killing techniques he had previously created, his accumulated insights, and the serendipitous encounters from the hundreds of floating islands he had traversed—all flashed through his mind, colliding and merging in rapid succession.
Unrestrained, his thoughts branched out in countless directions, exploring new avenues at an astonishing pace.
—
Outside the tower, Dongbo Xueying, Emperor Wufeng, and the eight Divine Generals stood together.
“Fascinating, isn’t it?” Emperor Wufeng glanced at Dongbo Xueying.
“Utterly miraculous.” Dongbo Xueying wore a complex expression. The memories of the clone cultivating inside the tower were shared with all his other clones, making the experience all the more unique.
The clone within the Seven-Bell Tower seemed to exist in another ‘dimension’—one where the soul’s thoughts were unshackled, its potential fully unleashed, and cultivation progressed at an unprecedented speed.
Meanwhile, all his other clones felt as though they were operating in a lower dimension.
Though memories could be exchanged, their thoughts simply couldn’t keep up.
“To think such a treasure exists.” Dongbo Xueying gazed at the Seven-Bell Tower, his eyes gleaming. In the Broken Tooth Mountain Range, the natives used it merely to study their bloodlines. But for cultivators like him, its benefits were far greater—it shattered certain shackles, unlocking the full extent of one’s theoretical potential.
“Haha, Brother Feixue, where do you plan to go next?” Emperor Wufeng chuckled. “If there’s anything I can assist with, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“There is one matter, but it doesn’t require Your Majesty’s intervention.” Dongbo Xueying turned to an armored Divine General beside him. “Divine General Shiguang, I intend to explore some floating islands. Some of the Deathblight Clan’s Emperors there can resist my illusion techniques. Even if they retain only ten or twenty percent of their strength, I’m no match for them. I’ll need your help. You may claim any treasures you find on the islands.”
“Why trouble Brother Shiguang for this? I can go!”
“Emperor Feixue, I’m willing too! With you by my side, I’d dare challenge any of the Thirteen Emperors one-on-one.”
“Such an opportunity shouldn’t go to Brother Shiguang alone!”
The other Divine Generals chimed in, their voices tinged with envy.
First, accompanying Emperor Feixue to explore the floating islands was a dream come true. With him present, the only beings in the Deathblight Clan they had to fear were the Three Supreme Monarchs—the rest were insignificant. And hadn’t he said ‘any treasures you find’? Even as Divine Generals, there were treasures on those islands they coveted but had never dared to pursue.
Second, adventuring together would naturally deepen their bond.
The chance to befriend Emperor Feixue was priceless—even without claiming any treasures, it was worth it. With him as an ally, no one in the Broken Tooth Mountain Range would dare provoke them lightly.
“Emperor Feixue asked for my help. None of you better interfere!” Divine General Shiguang bellowed. “What, do you want to settle this with a fight?”
Dongbo Xueying smiled.
He only needed one Divine General’s assistance, and these were all Emperor Wufeng’s subordinates—he couldn’t possibly take them all.
Besides, in terms of strength, Divine General Shiguang was the strongest among the eight.
—
Thus, in the days that followed, Dongbo Xueying and Divine General Shiguang continued their expeditions to the floating islands. Armed with detailed intelligence, they targeted islands marked by those mysterious eyes.
He sought to memorize more of the illusory structures within those eyes.
Though he had already created the first killing technique of the Illusory Void Path, these mysterious eyes still offered valuable insights. The more he recorded, the smoother his path to the ‘ultimate’ mastery of the Illusory Void Path would be.
—
Meanwhile, news spread like wildfire across the Broken Tooth Mountain Range.
Emperor Wufeng, aided by Emperor Feixue, had stormed the Island of the Veiled Emperor, captured twenty-two Elders, and forced the Veiled Emperor to submit, surrendering the Luminous Spirit Milk. This tale quickly became the talk of the realm. Emperor Wufeng even stoked the flames, eager to showcase his close ties with Emperor Feixue—and to savor his long-awaited vengeance.
For ages, he had suffered defeat after defeat at the hands of the Veiled Emperor. Now, at last, he had forced his nemesis to bow. Such a triumph deserved to be known far and wide—what joy was there in keeping it secret?
“Emperor Feixue’s influence is staggering.”
“Even the Veiled Emperor was compelled to yield on his own island?”
“Twenty-two Elders captured alive? Against this Emperor, numbers mean nothing.”
Discussions erupted everywhere.
Emperor Feixue’s fame soared, drawing the attention of the Deathblight Clan’s Three Supreme Monarchs and the native powerhouses’ Two Supreme Monarchs.
—
The news eventually reached the ears of cultivators from the Heart Realm Continent.
Figures like Emperor Xia and the Undying Underworld Emperor, who kept a close watch on the Broken Tooth Mountain Range, regularly gathered intelligence on the native factions.
The Undying Underworld Emperor, in particular, had ventured into the Broken Tooth Mountain Range multiple times since his failed attempt to ascend to the Hunyuan Lifeform realm. He was among the first of the Heart Realm’s invincible existences to learn of Emperor Feixue’s exploits.
“What? Are you certain?” A handsome youth clad in gray robes—unlike his usual regal, golden-crowned appearance in the Heart Realm—asked in disbelief.
In the Broken Tooth Mountain Range, the Undying Underworld Emperor maintained a low profile, donning plain gray robes.
He had no choice.
Among the native powerhouses, he lacked the standing to flaunt his status. More crucially, unlike Dongbo Xueying and Emperor Xia, he had no clones.
“Of course it’s true. The news has been spreading for days now,” a portly elder across from him replied between sips of wine. “Lord Underworld, didn’t you claim to be the strongest cultivator from the Heart Realm? How is it that Emperor Feixue seems so far beyond you? Before him, ordinary Emperors fall into illusions, Divine Generals tremble in fear, and even the great Emperors vie for his friendship. Even the Five Supreme Monarchs treat him with utmost respect.”
The Undying Underworld Emperor fell silent.
Envy?
Yes, he felt a twinge of it. If he commanded such prestige in the Broken Tooth Mountain Range, his endeavors would proceed far more smoothly.
But beyond envy, there was urgency.
“His Illusory Void Path has reached such heights? In the Heart Realm, there are those whose souls have attained the second level of Cosmic God, but none have ever been this terrifying. Has he reached the ultimate stage? Or does he possess a supreme legacy?” Panic gnawed at him. He didn’t know that no one had ever achieved the ultimate in the soul path—let alone left behind a supreme legacy.
“If he can ensnare Emperors, then even us ultimate-stage cultivators would struggle against his illusions. Even if we resist, it would drain our focus.” The Undying Underworld Emperor mused. While ultimate-stage cultivators possessed formidable mental fortitude, their resistance to illusions likely paled in comparison to the Five Supreme Monarchs. Undoubtedly, they would be distracted, their combat prowess diminished.
“What should I do?”
“He has countless clones, commands respect across the Broken Tooth Mountain Range, and has access to endless resources. With his Hunyuan weapon and the opportunities here, his chances of reaching the ultimate in the Void Path are even greater.”
“If this continues, he’ll only grow stronger.”
The Undying Underworld Emperor felt a pressure unlike any before.
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